Vandals have targeted temporary traffic lights at a busy Stoke-on-Trent junction - to plunge part of the city into gridlock. Waterworks have been underway in Smallthorne this week where three-way lights have been triggering long delays.
But the congestion went into another gear when the lights were targeted by vandals. Severn Trent had set up at the busy junction of Ford Green Road and Chell Heath Road on Monday with motorists queuing in all directions - back to Smallthorne roundabouts, the Norton Lane junction, and towards Bradeley.
During Monday evening's rush-hour Stoke-on-Trent City Council said that the lights were 'currently not working' and urged drivers to avoid the area with council staff notifying Severn Trent of the problem. Yesterday morning and the local authority said that 'due to vandalism there have been further traffic delays'.
This morning and motorists are again reporting being snarled up in queues at the junction. A live map from Google has shown a queue of just over a mile back to Norton Lane.
According to roadworks monitoring system One Network, the works should be done by 4pm today. It is not known whether the vandalism will mean the scheme may take longer.
It's not the first time the junction has been dug up recently. Previously gas works were up and sparked delays.
